1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hanger for suspending boots from a plurality of supports. It is more suited to western-style boots which are designed with two loops mounted at their top where fingers or a special tool is inserted to assist in pulling on the boot itself. The present invention is adaptable for suspending other types of footwear having a similar design characteristic; namely, loops at the top of such footwear. The present invention is not limited to the materials from which it can be made, but ABS-type plastic appears favored in terms of production and cost, and durable in terms of strength. However, metal, wood, plastic, or combinations thereof, are feasible.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for storing, displaying, or transporting western-style boots and related footwear in such a manner as to allow the boots to be stored, displayed or transported "free-hanging," on a plurality of supports, thereby protecting them from detrimental environmental or physical abuse. While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto.
Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Presently, the ways in which to store, display or transport western-style boots and related footwear are limited. In the case of one type of related footwear--work boots; they are generally displayed on a shelf or counter and by their nature and contruction do not lend themselves to careful storage or transport after use.
Western style boots are at the other end of the spectrum. They are ususally made of high grade leather and often made of extremely expensive materials such as Rhinocerous, Ostrich, Iguana, Snakeskin, etc. The exotic materials often used in best-grade western boots are only limited by the cost the market will bear and the availability of the desired material. Such exotic boots can cost more than $1,000 per pair.
The present invention is also suited for riding and "hunt" boots which consist of extremely long barrels that cover the legs up to the knee; and which also is usually made of supple and expensive leathers. Methods for storing or displaying these special boots, before the present invention were limited. Boots were placed on flat surfaces of store counter tops, racks, or even the floor for display. After purchase, boots were often placed on a floor for storage or during non-wear. One problem with this method is that boots have a tendency to droop to one side from the weight of the boot top, or barrel, and be damaged when a crease develops in that portion of the boots above the reinforced heel portion. This particular problem was generally solved when boot owners started placing rolled up newspapers, magazines, and the like inside each one of the boots to keep the barrels upright. While this was a partial solution, another problem remained. Good quality boots were often accidently stepped on, thereby scuffing and damaging them. Additionally, another problem remained. Ease of transport of the boots, when they were not being worn, existed until the present invention. In order to transport western-style boots and related footwear, the boots have to be placed within a protecive container, otherwise, the above-mentioned damage could occur.
Present methods available for displaying or storing western-style boots and related footwear are limited in their scope and use; and for ease of transport they're virtually non-existent. For example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,913, issued Nov. 6, 1990 to Bayer discloses a FOLDABLE FOOTWEAR SUPPORT DEVICE which can be in a completely folded condition so as to fit in a packaging container or in a partially folded condition consisting of right and left pouches attached on respective panels and suspended from a rigid support bar having a hook means for engaging a support.
U.S Pat. No. 4,953,715, issued Sep. 4, 1990 to Celli discloses a BOOT SUPPORT comprising a base, an upright portion generally perpendicular thereto, and two cantilevered slideable horizontal arms on the uprights with attached clamps for engaging the tops of a variety of boots. The horizontal arms slide up and down on the uprights to match the height of the boots and are held in place by the weight of the boots exerting pressure on the cantilevered slides and arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,962, issued Apr. 25, 1989 to Arias discloses a SHOE DISPLAY AND STORAGE HANGER for shoes for mounting on substantially horizontally extending rods, having a U-shaped tongue member mounted on an elongated member in an upward direction for insertion into the shoe opening, and having a end of the elongated member terminating in a hook means for mounting on said rods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,743, issued Oct. 25, 1988 to McKinnon discloses a BOOT RACK FOR WESTERN BOOTS WITH SIDE ATTACHED PULLSTRAPS having generally a wall-mounting bracket with a plurality of wire supports extending therefrom perpendicularly to engage said side attached pull straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,615, issued Jun. 2, 1987 to Zigman discloses a FOOTWEAR HANGER; a dual coil hanger for suspending footwear in an inverted position by means of a wire frame with tensioned clamps thereon to capture the heels of the footwear, and a wire hook means with an eye lower end engaged by the wire frame, at a balance point, to suspend it from a support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,290, issued Mar. 18, 1987 to Zigman discloses a GRIP HANGER; a single coil hanger of essentially the same capture method as Zigman '615 for suspending footwear in an inverted position.
U.S Pat. No. 4,460,094, issued Jul. 17, 1984 to Schoen discloses an ARTICLE HOLDING DEVICE for supporting and storing small articles, such as one shoe, or the like on a generally vertical surface comprising at least one elongate support member adapted to be secured to said vertical surface in an upright position for engaging a portion of the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,661, issued Dec. 21, 1981 to Allsop discloses a SHOE MOUNTING AND DISPLAY APPARATUS comprising a base member defining a slideway having two inwardly facing channel members defining related channels and a plurality of brackets adapted to engage said slideway, comprising two laterally spaced arm members to engage the soles of shoes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,424, issued Mar. 11, 1980 to Allsop discloses a SHOE DISPLAY APPARATUS particularly adapted to display articles such as pairs of shoes in an upright position and in a side by side relationship by means of a mount, an upright support and a plurality of support platforms perpendicular to said upright support.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 292,755, issued Nov. 17, 1987 to Shay discloses a BOOT HANGER.
The primary deficiencies with the related art are that they are not adaptable to a plurality of support applications, nor, except in the case of Bayer '913 wholly and conveniently portable, being limited to permament positioning on a wall or moveable placement on a level surface. Bayer '913 is distinguishable.
Bayer '913 teaches a collapsible footwear device partially made of soft material which can be folded up when not in use. This enables easy transportation and storage of the device. However, since Bayer relies on pouches to receive the footwear, it is not suitable for boots of the type covered by the present invention.
Celli '715 teaches a boot support which is limited to placement upon flat and level surfaces. Celli might have found further application by claiming a means for mounting on a wall surface which would have broadened its application.
Arias '962 teaches a shoe display and storage hanger which is essentially limited to "low cut" shoes, thereby not suitable to the boots and related footwear covered by the present invention.
The deficiency found in Celli was overcome by McKinnon '743 which teaches a boot hanger which is wall mounted and allows a wider application in terms of placement and protection, by means of the above-floor support. This device too, however, is also limited in that it cannot be moved to another location without first mechanically removing it from the surface it is attached to and and then mechanically re-installing it at another location. It is further limited in that it accepts multiple multiple pairs of boots, making it not feasible to transport a single pair of boots by virtue of the bulk of the device.
Zigman '615, which reads on Zigman '290, discloses a multiple coil footwear hanger with an improved method for capture of footwear; however it does not extend its application to the range of plurality of supports, as does the present invention, nor does it lend itself to storage in a minimum of space as the present invention.
Zigman '290 which discloses a single coil wire footwear hanger with means for hanging footwear by tensioned clamps in an inverted position lends itself to more applications than does Celli or McKinnon, as stated, but its support application range doesn't equal the support application range of the present invention.
Allsop '661 teaches a shoe mounting and display apparatus which is confined to placement on a floor or other flat and level surface, thereby limiting its application to the coverage of the present invention.
Allsop '424 teaches a shoe display apparatus which must be placed upon a flat and level surface, such as a countertop or floor or deep shelf. Allsop is thereby severely limited in scope of application and Alsop has no convenient portability.
Huan-Yin Chan '871 teaches a relatively stationary floor or level surface rotary shoe rack. The bulk and complexities of this device prevents it from the same function and portability as the present invention.
Shay Design Patent '755 teaches a wire hanger having support arms and a hook means for engaging a support. Shay is the only related art of significance in regard to the present invention. However, Shay is not read on by the present invention, as appears more fully below.
Schulz Design Patent '077 teaches a wire-framed device with triangular sides connected at their base with a "vee" and single bar. The obvious function of this device is to assist in removing boots from the wearer's feet. The function of the hooks appear to be used to assist in installation of a single boot, and is not read on by the present invention. sides have
Zigman '290 and '615 and Shay D'775 can find application to a plurality of supports only if said supports are on a plane perpendicular to the dictated direction of its hook means, which limits the direction of said hook which is not pivotal, and thereby does not allow for capture of multi-positioned supports within the range of the present invention. Further, Zigman '290 and '615 teach a rigid support bar and support means which do not allow convenience of storage in a small container like a glove box of a vehicle, or a limited space like a jacket pocket or other small container, as found with the present invention.
Like Zigman '290 and '615, Shay D'775 has a hook configuration which is not pivotal, and thereby does not teach the novelty of the present invention. The present invention is intended to be used in almost any conceivable position or support due to its swivel feature. At the present time, there is no method available to safely and conveniently store or display western-style boots and related footwear without first having to resort to additional effort; for example, mechanically installing racks and mountings. Also, the present methods of displaying and/or storing the relevant boots are bulky, and do not lend themselves to transport use by their very construction limitations.
The Zigman devices display (but doesn't claim) a portable footwear hanger, but the rigid construction of the Zigman devices limit their use. The present invention does what the present art does not. The present invention makes it possible to display, store, and/or transport western-style boots and related footwear wherever there is a support which accepts the suspension portion of the invention; such as a clothes closet rod, a door knob, a drawer pull, the open window of a pickup truck, etc. due primarily to its swivel feature, in an easy and safe manner.
The present invention eliminates the need for rolled up newspapers or magazines, and for wall mounted or floor mounted racks and supports, prevents accidental damage from scuffing by being stepped on, and allows for total portability and, by its size, occupies and/or utilizes a minimum of space when the invention is not in use.